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And most importantly, what the damn plan was.
The new plan—one both Dante and I have crafted, rather than Dante working alone—is simple.
I have nine months to pull the men to my side. The key to a safe, simple take over is to make sure that the men in the family are no longer loyal to Paulie or Carmine, but to me.
Or, at the very least more loyal to me than they are to them.
My focus will be the Capos. Paulie has a handful of men he recruited and a few who were loyal to Tony that I’ll need to win, and Carmine has his men who have been in the family longer than I’ve been on this earth.
Dante will do what he can without kicking up too much dust or suspicion, but it’s my job to learn who each man is, learn where his loyalties lie, and figure out how to pull them over to me.
And most importantly, do it without causing too much suspicion from Carmine.
It feels good, knowing the plan. Even better knowing that I have a balanced part in our mission.
And now, my husband has both fed and fucked me as promised and I’m slightly less irritated.
That is, until he says that.
“Paulie?” I feel more than see him nod in the dimly lit room and I groan. “Don’t have to make it look like a love match, but you gotta at least try and look happy.”
“I hate him, Dante.” I move, climbing over him and resting my chin into my hands on his chest.
“You need to play the siren, baby.” His hands move my hair over my shoulder. “You gotta win the men over.”
I stare at him, waiting for him to continue, to explain.
“Paulie is in the ears of the men he recruited, making it so if anyone but him hits the top, they’ll cause trouble. There are a few that are loyal to Carmine, a few that were Tony’s. I’ve got my men, but I can’t just start talking to their recruits without raising suspicion. It helps that it seems like I gave the family to Paulie, but it would still look off.”
“So, I . . .”
“You’re beautiful and you’re smart. You know what to say to make them turn against him. Or turn to you. Look at what you’ve done to my men. I even look at you funny, Marco, Roddy? They’re planning how to whack me.” I smile at that but then remember something.
“Dante. Today . . . Marco—”
“I know. We’ll have a talk with him some time soon at the club. No ears. I don’t even want to think about that added mess until then. But . . . I’d be hard-pressed to believe Marco’s anything but a good man.”
“He said he doesn’t work for you. Said he works with you, but not for you.”
“News to me,” he grumbles, irritated, and I try not to smile.
“He made it seem . . . He made it seem like he worked for . . . me. Like he was here for me.”
“No idea, Lilah. He’s always been protective of you, even before I knew who you were, what you were to me. Didn’t have to assign him to watch you, not really. He wanted to do it. If he’s working for the Russo’s . . .” A sigh falls from my husband’s lips. “It would track. The timing of when he came to the family . . . let’s just say it would all make sense.” I stare at him, and I think he’s just as lost about what to expect as I am, so I let it be.
Long minutes pass before I speak again. “When does it start?”
“When does what start?”
“The show? This whole . . . plan?”
“As soon as possible. You did fucking amazing tonight, not letting it show on your face.” I glare at him, and he stares back, pushing a loose lock of hair behind my ear.
“I wish you had told me what to expect,” I say.
“I didn’t want you nervous. I didn’t want you thinking about it all night.”
“I’m mad at you, Dante.”
